Proton needs foreign partner: Muhyiddin

Malaysia doesn't need to be too nationalistic in supporting Proton without taking into consideration what the automotive business is all about, says the trade minister

PROTON Holdings Bhd, which ended talks with Volkswagen AG last year, needs to seek a foreign partnership to be more competitive in the automotive market, says International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“I still believe that this (foreign partnership) is an idea which Proton has to explore.

“I don’t think that we need to be too nationalistic in the sense of supporting Proton without taking into consideration what the business (automotive) is all about,” he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Malaysia-China Business Councils annual general meeting yesterday.

Muhyiddin said the automotive market is very competitive and the partneship may help Proton to broaden its business in overseas market.

“If they want to move out, they have to be more competitive, they have to produce a good quality car, have a good technology and must brand that is sales able,” he said.

He said Proton had to pick the right partner and make sure that any partnership could bring a win-win situation to Proton and its partner.

Muhyiddin said the ministry would look at the vendor development programme of Proton seriously to make sure that there were improvements in terms of technology, quality staff and prices.

“This is one of the areas that we are looking at under the National Automotive Policy. We want to ensure that this scheme is more reliable and more align with national car programme,” he said. — Bernama